25 Reasons why your polyps won't expand.

[MUCHO REEF]

Thought I would bump this as there are a few questions here regarding the lack of polyp expansion. Hope it helps.

Mucho Reef

 

[tjherman]

Would a micro brittle irritate polyps? I'm assuming so because I pulled out part of the booger out of my colony tonight from a spot that has stayed closed since I fragged it last week.

 

[SIR PATRICK]

^sure can.

 

[DheereCrossing]

Yea, I haven't found any life in the reef so far that can 'tickle' polyps and make them extend farther :love2: - any movement or animal that sits on or among the polyps is an irritation :mad2: and will cause them to close and therefore not receive nutrition.

 

[IridescentLily]

Bumping a "rare" thread.

 

[mfinn]

Alot of good reading material here.

 

[toeside]

Great thread and good info... thanks Mucho!

"18. Nuisance algae around the polyps which will irritate them and prevent them from expanding."

I'm running a 10g/10g with 2x40w PCs. All soft corals... Frogspawn, various star polyps, Ricordea, Xenia, etc., but a fair number of zoanthids and I've added some nice pieces recently. (I've read your "dip" thread, and I'll being do that ASAP)

I've been fighting hair algae in general, around the base of my zoo polyps in particular. I am getting it largely under control, but I'm wondering if you've posted any info about how to manage this.

Thanks!

 

[ohchiz84]

as far as #8 being shipped in the cold, im a newbie that got some new zoas 2 days ago that still havent opened should i be concerned or do they just need more time?

 

[austinh]

i have a massive population of what i believe to be peanut worms(they are white almost transparent things that build tubes out of my sand, which unfortunately always ends up stretched across my coolest colony of zoas) anyone know of a way to get rid of these royal pains

 

[MUCHO REEF]

as far as #8 being shipped in the cold, im a newbie that got some new zoas 2 days ago that still havent opened should i be concerned or do they just need more time?

Wow, sorry I didn't see this to give you a reply.

They can and will tolerate the cold better than overheating at which time they will dissolved into mush. So I'd say that most likely made it. Can you give and update?

Mucho

 

[MUCHO REEF]

i have a massive population of what i believe to be peanut worms(they are white almost transparent things that build tubes out of my sand, which unfortunately always ends up stretched across my coolest colony of zoas) anyone know of a way to get rid of these royal pains

Can anyone help this reefer with an answer?

 

[RokleM]

i have a massive population of what i believe to be peanut worms(they are white almost transparent things that build tubes out of my sand, which unfortunately always ends up stretched across my coolest colony of zoas) anyone know of a way to get rid of these royal pains

Peanut worms are neither white nor do they build tubes from what I've seen. They literally look like an earthworm and bore and hide in rock at night, typically only extending their head enough to get to some food.

 

[Nerd1717]

Great List, its a good sanity check once in a while.

 

[Friday Night]

Peanut worms are neither white nor do they build tubes from what I've seen. They literally look like an earthworm and bore and hide in rock at night, typically only extending their head enough to get to some food.

:reading:

Thx

 

[garnto]

Posting so I can always look this thread up if needed

 

[padova335i]

the thread that makes u paranoid of keeping zoos! lol, nah good stuff

 

[CLINTOS]

Thought I would mention that spaghetti worms will slowly enhance the death of a sick polyp
so u might want to do a dip or at least pick up the zoa/paly and place in a new spot every day until it heals

or if on a rock try to clear them with something like a really soft tooth brush or even better the softest paint brush people use for small model cars etc found at hobby shops

or brush the stem of the zoa/paly if you notice slightly dirty looking rotten skin, avoid brushing the top of the polyp when open u can gently force it to close just before brushing to brush the top which is a little better

 

[mbattles22]

Deadly Asterina!?

Deadly Asterina!?

I've seen pepermint shrimp (Lysmata wundemanni) rip off whole polyps at night and consume them. I have also had trouble with asterina. Very small ones 1/8 to 1/4 inch with grey mottled cloration. After obsevin a colony thin out some, I dipped with freshwater and there were large numbers of these little stars in it. This has happened on a number of occasions.

I have seen this in my tank. The asterina are constantly on top of my blue hornets, keeping them closed! I have removed the starfish, the polyp appears intact...but hasn't opened again. its been several days! Should I give up hope? I thought that asterina were reef safe?!:furious:

 

[April_Sherwood]

23. Amphipods, which I have only witnessed eating sick, dead, dying, decaying polyps. Doesn̢۪t mean they won̢۪t eat perfectly healthy ones, I just haven̢۪t witnessed it, some have.
------------------------------------

I have two small frags of zoas that seem like they are being pestered by Amphipods. I have a LOT of Amphipods in my tanks and for the past couple of weeks they have been all over these two zoa frags. They are definitely being walked all over and it doesn't appear that they are eating them but they are keeping them closed. Is there a good way of getting them off? I'm not sure a dip will help since there are bunches of Amphipods in the tank and I'm thinking as soon as the zoas are placed back in the tank they'll just get new "bugs" on them.

Thanks for any ideas that you may have! Can I brush them off with a soft bristled tooth brush??

 

[Scott48]

[QUOTE Is there a good way of getting them off?[/QUOTE]

Add a wrasse..ive had this same problem way too many amphipods not enough food so they turned to my zoas..help the wrasse out to if hes as friendly as my mccoskers, go around and pick up frag disks, small rocks, where the amphipods hide and youd be surprised how many can be under a frag disk and just make sure the wrasse sees and hell clean up ur amphipods for sure!